The Flight
by Sophiacharlotte
Summary: Sometimes life gives you a second chance, when you weren't ready for the first. AU no zombies. Caryl
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hi there, i have not written in forever, i'm trying to get back into it. i can't gurantee i'm back on track yet, but i'm trying. This story is a crossover from the television show Manifest.i'm not listing as a cross over as i won't be using ant characters from Manifest, only the premise of the show. It's AU, no zombies.

 **Chapter** 1

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2013 Mexico

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"I can't do this."

Merle looked over at Daryl in confusion, from his side of the cab speeding it's way through the streets of this tourist resort town in Mexico.

"Can't do what?" Merle asked suspiciously.

Daryl knew he'd been acting crazy all morning, Merle was becoming increasingly annoyed at him as they made their way towards the beach front area that the resort had promised would be the setting of a dream wedding.

Dream wedding, he thought ironically more like a nightmare.

Daryl loved Carol, he truly did. He loved everything about her, her smile, her kindness, her understanding. She somehow got him. She understood that a big wedding would be a nightmare to him, so they were basically eloping. Just Merle and Anddre had come with them to witness the event, and they were to be married in an hour, on the beach with the sun setting behind him.

But he couldn't do this. Every vile memory of his parents were flooding through his mind like a windstorm of anxiety.

He was only 25 years old, Daryl knew that Daddy had not always been the violent wife beating asshole that he and Merle had grown up watching. Daddy had become that man. Daryl could never imagine hurting Carol. He'd rather die a thousand deaths, but a small voice in his mind started whispering, what if? What if those tendencies came with age, and time. What if he hurt her?

Carol was sunshine, she was his sunshine. His best friend who had become so much more. The one person in his life that he could not live without. But he couldn't do this.

"I can't get married."

Merle's eyes widened in surprise. "Aww fuck little brother, that's just your nerves talking. You love Red. She's it for you. Don't do this."

Daryl put his palms over his eyes trying to stop himself from Hyperventilating. "I can't do this Merle. I can't turn into him. I can't ..." he knew his voice was getting louder the more agitated he got. The driver looked back in the mirror, eying them suspiciously.

"Daryl calm down...fuck...I ain't good at this shit...You can't leave Red just standing there. You'll regret this...think about it." Merle said a hint of panic edging into his voice.

" She deserves better... she'll get over it. Turn the cab around."

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Two weeks later.

Alexandria

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He'd made a mistake. He'd made a huge gigantic cataclysmic mistake.

Daryl paced back and forth. God what had he done? Sending her a message via text? That he wasn't showing up, heading back home with his tail between his legs like a slime ball. Not making sure she was okay, not talking to her.

He paused banging his head against the wall. Pulling his hair in panic.

Through Andrea the details had filtered through. Merle's wife was keeping him updated even though he didn't ask for it.

She's stayed in Mexico with Carol. The two girls had decided to turn their would be honeymoon into a girls trip. God knows Carol had probably needed to unwind after what he had put her through.

He got daily texts from Andrea that Carol was okay, resigned to him running like she had expected it. Andrea signed each text of woth the same message.

—Fix this you dumbass—

God, he wanted too. He wanted to fix this but he had no idea how.

He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep. He wasn't working. Merle wouldn't let him work. He worked for Merle at his garage, and had taken two weeks off for the honeymoon and Merle was insistent he take it. Get his head straightened out of his ass Merle said.

He sat down on the couch grabbing his head in his hands. How could he think that this would be better? To never hold her again, never touch her? Never feel her skin.

His breath started coming in rapid puffs. The pressure in his chest seemed to be unbearable. His was lightheaded.

The door to his apartment opened, he could hear footsteps in the distance, running. He lived on top of the shop, Merle had built a house next door.

Merle had gone to the airport to pick up Carol and Andrea today. Daryl had wanted to go but he'd been terrified of Carol's reaction. he pussied out.

Cease Martinez, Merle's best friend and business partner came running into the room.

"Daryl! " he said grabbing the remote for his tv. "Merle called, turned the tv on."

It was flashing on the screen, Carol and Andrea's plane was missing.

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Mexico

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"Andrea stop looking at me like that I'm ok."

Carol sat up with a huff in the uncomfortable plastic chair. Groaning she muttered "I swear airports make their chairs uncomfortable on purpose." Standing up she stretched "How much longer do you think our flight will be delayed?"

Andrea quirked her brow, eying Carol with skepticism. "You're taking all of this remarkably well Carol. I've been waiting for two weeks for you too...".

Carol grunted and rolled her eyes. "What? Have a breakdown and be a sad sobbing mess?" when Andrea modded she sat down beside Andrea. Grabbing her friends hand.

"Andrea, this is Daryl...i mean it's Daryl...I can't say I'm not pissed, I am livid. A text ...a motherfucking text?" Carol huffed out loudly, a giggle from a group of women sitting in the airport lounge made her flush and lower her voice. "But I understand, I should have expected it. He panicked." Carol shrugged her shoulders. "There is no one right now who hates him more than he hates himself right now. I can guarantee you that. He doesn't need me hating him too."

She sighed hanging her head back over the edge of the chair.

She was hurt, of course she was hurt. But somehow she understood, hell she'd been waiting for him to flinch. Just like he had when they had first met in high school.

She'd moved to Alexandria the summer she was turning 15. Her parents disastrous marriage had ended and she had been more than happy to move with her mom closer to family, namely her aunt; her mom's sister and Andrea's mom.

Carol had left behind nothing but bad memories. At her old school she'd been the target of bullies, lead by a ringleader by the name of Ed Pelletier. She had been happy for a fresh start.

Andrea has introduced her to the "popular "kids at school. Carol had been determined to fly under the radar. But she hadn't been able to hold her tongue when a group of kids had started snickering about Daryl. The seriously quiet kid in town. Daryl had been tiny until his junior year, and a target for bullies just like she'd been at her old 'd made a point of befriending Daryl, and taking Andrea along for the ride. Andrea who she'd found three years later making out with Daryl's older brother Merle.

It had taken Carol and Daryl three years to move their relationship to the next level. Carol's mom had been diagnosed with cancer, and suddenly every moment seemed to matter. Carol needed to let Daryl know how she felt and she had, one night when she couldn't hold herself back any longer. She'd been prepared for him to run, and he had. But only for a day, the next night he'd come to her door, im the midst of torrential rain. she would never forget his face, standing on her doorstep. his face had een a mixture of resignation and longing. She'd handed him her heart the day before but he' ddbeeen so scared to return the favor he'd run.

That was the thing with Daryl. Sometimes his feelings were just too much. They overwhelmed him, and he wasn't sure how to handle them.

He'd come back then, just like she was certain he would come back now. She was kicking herself for not expecting this. She knew she should have sent Andrea with Daryl and Merle that day to the wedding, or better yet traveled to the beach together. Merle was as emotionally constipated as Daryl. really the only reason Merle and Andrea had gotten married was Andrea's iron grip on the proverbial ball and chain that was wrapped around Merle. Carol snorted at the thought and Andrea glances at her in curiosity.

Their flight was finally called, for boarding. "Ugh finally." Carol said with a groan.

Grabbing her overhead bag Carol turned to Andrea "Don't worry Andrea. Daryl and I, we are far from over, but doesn't mean I won't make him squirm a little when we get home." She said with a smirk.

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The plane

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The turbulence jolted her awake. Carol grabbed Andrea's hand in fear as the sudden rocking of the airplane caused mass panic in the cabin. The plane took a steep dive for several seconds, alarms and lights flashing. Oxygen masks fell from the ceiling.

As quickly as it began, it was over. The plane levelled out and the pilot made an announcement that they would be landing soon.

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The airport

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The plane was surrounded by flashing lights.

"There are more ambulances and police vehicles then I have ever seen." Carol murmured nervously. "Have you gotten through to Merle?" She asked Andrea.

Andrea slammed her phone down in frustration. "No it says I have no service. I swear if Merle forgot to pay the bill again I'm gonna kill him."

Carol flipped out her own phone " Mine says that too."

The passengers in the cabin were becoming restless. There were grumbles starting, they had been held on the plane for two hours, not allowed to disembark. People were tired, and hungry and grumpy so when a man in an FBI agent boarded to address the passengers they were at first angry, barking out questions.

But the serious tone of the agent soon settled over the plane cabin eerily. As they listened in shock to the agent, describe how their flight had left Mexico, in April of 2013. But was never seen again. Until today, November 23, 2018. They'd lost five and a half years.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: another chapter

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Chapter 2

2018 Alexandria

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The phone would not stop ringing. Daryl groaned pulling his pillow over his head. What fuck up had Merle gotten into now?

A phone call at 5 am was never a good sign and especially not in the last five years.

Merle had fallen back into old habits hard since ... Daryl's throat tightened painfully as memories flashed through his mind. The years had not been kind. Both the brothers had fallen back into old habits hard, Merle the spiralling addict unable to deal with Andrea's loss, Daryl cleaning up his mess, trying to hold their life together, out of guilt. A deep profound guilt.

Andrea was never supposed to be on that plane, it should have been him. He should have died with Carol. He should have held her hand, be there with her when she was scared. He could have told her one last time that he loved her, he could have begged her forgiveness. He could have done so many things differently.

Ceaser had insisted Merle sign over his half of the business to Daryl until he got his life together. Which was a blessing.

Without that foresight Merle would have lost everything.

Daryl had moved in with Merle. He'd needed to keep him in line. Constant calls of needing to bail Merle out, angry dealers, fuck even making sure Merle didn't choke on his own vomit had become his life. Along with running the shop with Ceaser.

Carol and Andrea's belongings had been stored in the apartment above the garage, neither man had been able to deal with throwing things out.

Daryl had become a hermit. Ceaser and some of the guys at the shop where constantly throwing girls his way, wanting him to move on, but he was at the point he was certain that wasn't even possible. He'd only recently agreed to start going on a few dates to shut the guys up. No one could compare to Carol. How could he ever be expected to move on? But he'd gone, trying to find some way to move on. There had to be an end to this pain.

There was a woman, a woman that Ceaser had set him up with. They more or less were trying to ease each other's loneliness. They'd gone on exactly five dates, she'd in her annoyance with Daryl told him not to call her again until he'd moved on.

How could you move on, when he'd already had everything and he'd thrown it all away? He would do anything, give anything to have a second chance.

Grunting softly he reached for his phone that would not stop ringing. Jesus Christ, He thought Merle was home sleeping, after his latest stint in rehab Merle was three weeks sober, had the asshole snuck out in the middle of the night?

Staring through one eye at the call display he realized it wasn't Merle. It was an unknown number. Grumbling he answered the phone. "Wat?"

And that's when the ground seemed to fall out from beneath him.

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He'd tripped over his own god damn pants. In his hurry to get dressed Daryl had been gathering keys, phone, wallet and shirt before his pants had even been hauled up. Daryl rubbed his head as he ran down the hall to find Merle. He was going to have one hell of a shiner.

This couldn't be real. There was no way. This was a dream, a wonderful amazing dream and he was going to wake in a few minutes to be devastated.

But he'd tripped over his own pants and his head was throbbing. Your head didn't throb in a dream did it?

Daryl banged on Merle's door so hard he was surprised his fist didn't go threw the wood. Fuck if Merle didn't answer the door soon, he'd rip the damn door off the hinges.

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"It must be their bodies Daryl, you must have heard wrong." Merle said from the passenger seat, as they swerved in and out of traffic. "It ain't possible" Merle was morose but firmly in denial. "There ain't no way."

Daryl knawed on his lip, trying to convince himself that he had heard the FBI agent wrong.

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"What do you think of all this?"

The man sitting next to Carol had leaned over and whispered to her quietly. Andrea had been taken for question she had been gone a long time. Carol sat nervously biting her lip in the enclosed room. No windows, one door with a guard standing manning the entrance this was enough to send her claustrophobia flaring to new and unpleasant heights. She'd been willing Andrea to reappear when the man had spoken to her.

She recognized him from across the aisle of the plane. He'd been sitting with his toddler, a well behaved small girl she'd heard him call Judith. Judith had to be no more than 3, She was currently passed out asleep in a pack and play the FBI agents had provided.

"I'm not sure what to think. How is it possible to be five years in the future, even if something happened to us, if we were kept somewhere and our memories where gone? You're daughter would be like 8 years old...wouldn't she?" Carol said softly not raising her voice.

She'd gotten a sense, a deep instinct since her interviews with the FBI, that the passengers were suspected of something, what Carol was not certain.

The man nodded affirmative "Yeah..." he stuck out his hand. "Rick Grimes." She nodded shaking his "Carol Miller."

"Our families must be going nuts out there huh?" He grimaced with a smirk. "I'd hate to be the security guard keeping my wife Michonne out of here."

Her chest constricted painfully. Ahh god Daryl. If what they were saying was true, he would have spent the last five years blaming himself for all of this.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen please be seated.

Daryl looked around the room the held the families of the flight. Some of them he recognized from a Facebook group that he'd been added to. Two sisters Maggie and Beth Greene has started it, mainly about their boy friends Glenn and Zach who had been on the flight. He wasn't even sure how they'd known his name.

"We just want our loved ones bodies!" Someone yelled from the crowd.

"Sit down, please." The FBI agent at the front of the room. "My name is Shane Walsh. Thank you all for coming. We asked you here tonight because you're loved ones have been found alive."

The room erupted in murmurs. Merle grabbed Daryl's wrist as if to stabilize himself.

"The plane landed early last night. We spent all night confirming identities from the DNA profiles that we created 5 years ago, when we were searching for the wreckage. It's them... all of them, they are alive. "

Cheers filled the room. Cries of joy surrounded him. Daryl felt like he couldn't breathe. He needed to see Carol. He needed to touch her.

"We don't know where they have been, they say..." Shane continued to the group but paused.

"They say what?"someone yelled.

"They say that they never left the airplane, they say the flight brought them forward in time." Hushed murmurs of confusion dissipated to a confused silence. "With permission from her father. I want to show you all a picture." The lights dimmed and a picture was projected onto the wall. "This is Judith Grimes, three years old taken five years ago on Vacation in Mexico with her family" A picture of a toddler filled the screen sitting on a beach under a sun umbrella. "This is her last night." The image changed and the same toddler was shown on the screen." These picture were taken five and a half years apart. We have confirmed her identity and DNA, it's her, she hasn't aged...Just like the rest of your family members."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: short one, hey guys, i unexpecatantly had to have surgery. doing ok, just wanted to give you guys an fyi as to why i stopped updating again. not sure when i will get back on track, but i had this written and in my documents.

Chapter 3

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"Dixon's? Follow me."

The world was a daze, a swirling riot of colours and emotions. Daryl allowed his feet to follow the FBI agent who had come to collect himself and Merle. Daryl was certain his feet were acting on pure instinct, because at that moment, he was certain his brain had short circuited.

They'd explained that one agent was being assigned to each family. To facilitate reunions, and questioning.

Their agent's name was Sacha Williams. Merle had been uncharacteristically quiet with her introduction. Merle's jaw had been opening and closing like a gaping fish. Daryl was sure his own face was no better.

The twisting hallway the agent lead them down was like never ending tomb. The hall was permeated with cries of joy. As reunions took place in the rooms lining the halls.

Daryl felt short of breath and Merle, fuck Merle was pale and sweating profusely. Daryl stopped abruptly. "Fuck ya alright?" He muttered to Merle.

"Andrea's gonna kill me." Merle wheezed leaning over. " The drugs, the booze, ...I would have lost our house if it weren't for you ...and Carol ...Carol's gonna kick your ass, for leaving her at the alter."

Good lord, Merle was right. if what they were saying was true, Carol was bound to be pretty pissed with him. Daryl suddenly started laughing. "It's gonna be great."

Merle stood up and started chuckling. "It's gonna be amazing, I always wanted to see Red when she's angry. Best day ever."

Daryl laughed while wiping his eyes. Yeah it really was.

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The door swung open softly, neither brother seemed to breathe as the interior of the small office came into focus.

The girls were there, Andrea standing arms folded across her chest, Carol sitting on the small sofa in the room.

Daryl took a gasp of breath and a step back, grabbing at the door frame, to steady himself as he met Carol's eyes across the room. It was as though time had stood still. Her red was the same as he remembered. The curls rested softly on her shoulders, the humidity in the office, had made her riotous curls unmanageable, her hair looked as though she had stumbled out of bed. She had always griped about the humidity and her hair, how many times had she threatened to cut it all off and get a pixie cut she'd called it. She was stilled tanned from Mexico, her feckles were all but glowing across her cheekbones.

The dress she was wearing was always his favorite. A red sundress that flattered her figure and did amazing things to her breasts. God how he loved that dress. She must have been cold at some point though. It was November. A FBI hoodie was wrapped around her shoulders and she was hugging herself tightly, her arms crossed across her body. She always did that when she was anxious.

A sob escaped his throat. And suddenly Daryl was on his knees, directly in front of Carol. Merle and Andrea were in the background, hugging, he was pretty certain Andrea was having trouble breathing Merle held on to Andrea so tightly. But he ignored everyone else in the room But her. Carol. His Carol.

Carol was watching Daryl, closely a soft smile on her face as she brought up her hand to cup his face.

"I...God, I'm sorry. I..." he muttered unable to form a coherent sentence. "I...thank god...I ..." she threaded her fingers through his hair and he crumpled his face buried in her lap, hands wrapped tightly around her waist. By some miracle, life or fate or whatever had given him a second chance. He was never gonna let her go.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: hey guys, sorry for the long delay. Life threw a bit of a curveball at me which involved two tumors that I was discovered to have and wonders never cease when they were removed they were both benign. Starting to feel more normal. If anyone is still reading I don't love this but it felt good to write :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

chapter 4

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Silenced with Carol had never been awkward. Somehow Daryl had always known that she didn't expect him to fill the random moments with idle chitchat. She enjoyed the quiet moments just like him. But right now, this moment? Was the most awkward moment of his life. He'd spent the last hour in stunned silence, barely able to speak. Every instinct in his body willing him to grasp onto her and never let her go.

She was walking around their apartment, fingers trailing softly along the pictures as she took it all in. She stopped picking up a novel she'd left on the coffee table before the fated trip. It was still in the exact spot.

"I thought..." Carol said suddenly looking up at him. "I thought ya'll thought we were dead."

Daryl nodded, unable to speak. A sob seemed to be lodged in his throat. This sense of wonder and awe that she was standing in front of him just would not go away. All Daryl wanted to do was touch her, hold her. If she would let him.

What he had done haunted him, how could he have not shown up at their wedding? Carol was everything. Everything he'd ever wanted and everything he ever dreamed of.

She smirked as one eyebrow rose up delicately. God he'd missed her.

"Daryl, nothing's changed. The book I was reading is still on the coffee table. I bet the load of laundry I forgot in the dryer before we left is still there,.." she shook her head as though confused.

It was there. He hadn't been able to change nothing. Other than cleaning out the fridge and cupboards and shoving boxes of Andrea's shit into the spare room, not a single thing had changed.

"Couldn't...couldn't do it." He muttered his heart thumping wildly as she took a step closer and then another, until she was standing in front of him. Her hands cupping his cheeks. It was all to much suddenly. "I gotta sit down." He whispered weakly.

The large lazy boy was behind him he took a few stumbling steps back and sunk down. Grasping her wrists to him. She ended up on his lap.

"Daryl, calm down." Carol murmured her hand coming up to rest above his heart feeling it pound erratically and fast.

His hands came around her waist clamping her to him. He wasn't sure how she could breathe but he held her close, burying his face in her neck. Breathing in her scent. Feeling her pulse against his lips. She was alive and she was real.

"Breathe with me." Carol said softly. "In and out." She brought her hands up to thread through his hair. Their chests touched and he could feel each breath against his body. Every time she inhaled it was a miracle. It was all real. He held her to him, and they exhaled as one.

"I know you. You've spent the last five years blaming yourself haven't you?" She asked.

He nodded into her shoulder still unable to speak.

"And now you're thrashing yourself for leaving me at the alter." She murmured. "You've always done this Pookie. You never give yourself a break, I'm not angry or mad. I know you. I know your heart. I know you love me. I know you left because you got scared. Scared that you weren't good enough, scared that you didn't think you deserved to be happy. Which is all bullshit...I don't know what happened these last five years or why. I'm trying to process it. But... I know you. I know you." She whispered kissing his temple.

"I'm sorry." He whispered trying to compose himself. God only knew what she'd been through the last five years and here he was making this about him. Fuck. From this moment on. He promised himself to take care of her no matter what.

"Don't be sorry. We can talk tomorrow." She whispered, turning in his lap to straddle him. "I need you." She said softly her lips trailing up his neck "and I think you need me. "

Fuck.

"Carol" he groaned "you don't gotta..." she put her finger over his lips.

"I need you."

Good intentions of taking it slow went out the window as he stood taking her with him. Her legs wrapping around his waist.

This was a dream, it had to be a fucking dream. He stumbled down the hallway. Panting as she started grinding her pelvis into his.

So many nights he'd woken from fevered dreams just like this the last five years.

"Don't wanna wake up." He whispered as she fell back on the bed staring up at him slowly opening the buttons of her dress.

"You're awake." She smirked sitting up pulling her dress over her head and flinging it across the room. Then flicking open the latch of her bra and ridding herself of that too.

If you could devour someone he would. He launched himself at her after losing his shirt. Covering her body with his own. He'd never felt more possessive than he had in that moment. He'd never felt more protective than when he curved his body around hers. It didn't matter what happened the last five years. His heart clenched painfully in his chest at the thought that someone may have hurt her. So badly she couldn't remember it. It would never happen again.

Her small hands trailed down his back, sliding down his scars, with a touch he'd missed so much. He'd wanted to worship every inch of her, but when he'd rid them of the rest of their clothes, she grasped his cock pulling him to her. "Now."

He felt himself almost overcome with tears at the feeling when he slid inside her. She was home.

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Carol woke from a deep sleep. The air in the room seemed to almost shimmer in the moonlight. She smiled softly nuzzling Daryl's cheek. Even in his sleep he was spooned to her body, holding her so tightly, like he refused to let go for even a moment.

"Momma?"

Carol gasped as a small girl suddenly appeared beside her. She was small maybe 4or 5 years old. Sandy blond hair and big blue eyes.

"Momma...don't be scared." The girl whispered slurring her s slightly. The little girl put her hand on Daryl's cheek. "It's coming Momma, and Daddy needed you."

"What's coming?" Carol whispered.

"The new beginning." The girl whispered. "I'm yours and I'm daddy's and it's coming."

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The phone stirred her from sleep. The ring was one that she didn't recognize. Carol realized it was coming from Daryl's pocket on the floor. Stumbling over to his pants where they had landed the night before she grabbed the phone.

"Hello"

"Carol? Good this is Sascha Williams. We need you to come back in this morning. Right away."

Carol shifted a feeling of dread coursing through her. "What? Why?"

"Nothing to be alarmed about. There were some irregularities in your bloodwork." Sascha sounded evasive.

"No" Carol said watching as Daryl awoke and sat up watching her in confusion. "Tell me now or I don't go."

"You're pregnant."


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